Sailor denies collision manslaughter

Sailor denies collision manslaughter

The master of a cargo ship involved in a fatal collision off the Sussex coast has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Brian Norcutt D'Esterre-Roberts, 39, from Ireland, is charged with neglect of duty and the unlawful killing of Captain Wolfram Gross.

Mr D'Esterre-Roberts was officer on watch of the 4,700 tonne Dutch ship Aquamarine, which collided with a tanker eight miles off Hastings in 2001.

The crew of the tanker the Ash abandoned ship but Mr Gross lost his life jacket and drowned.

Lewes Crown Court heard the Aquamarine was travelling in the same direction along the Channel as the Ash on 9 October 2001, but twice as quickly.

It struck the rear of the Ash which was carrying steel to Spain, holing it below the water line.

Miscalculated navigation

The crew of six jumped from the ship but Mr Gross, a 59-year-old from Germany, died after being winched from the sea.

Mr D'Esterre-Roberts, from County Cork, was arrested when his ship docked in Swansea.

The court was told on Thursday he could have taken his ship off auto-pilot and altered its course if he had been keeping a proper look-out.

He told police at the time he had seen the Ash but miscalculated his navigation.

The defendant pleaded guilty to breaching or neglecting his duty to prevent his ship colliding with another vessel, causing the loss of the ship or the injury or death of another crew member.

But he denied the manslaughter of Mr Gross.

The case was adjourned until Friday.